Scrub-facilitating liner for bath tubs



1966 c. J. KLINKNER 3,264,357

SCRUB-FACILITATING LINER FOR BATH TUBS Filed NOV. 13, 1963 INVENTOR.

INKNER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,264,657 SCRUB-FACILITATIN G LINER FOR BATH TUBS Charles J. Klinkner, 324 7th St. N., Fargo, N. Dak. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,319 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-184) My invention relates generally to scrubbing attachments for bath tubs, and has for its primary object the provision of a multi-section scrub-facilitating liner which is longitudinally adjustable whereby same can be made not only to accommodate bath tubs of varying length, but also may be made extended retracted within a given tub, whereby to make same utilizable by users of varying lengths.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described wherein the several liner sections are provided with spaced readily-replaceable brush elements.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a liner which may be placed into and removed from its operative position in a tub, in a minimum of time and with a minimum of skill and practice.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is highly eflicient and sanitary in its operation.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specifications, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a conventional bath tub having my novel liner installed therein, portions thereof being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section as seen from the line 33 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section as seen from the line 44 of FIG. 3, some parts being broken away.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the letter A indicates a conventional bath tub having a bottom wall 10, opposite side walls 11, a generally vertical end wall 12 (having a conventional drain outlet 13 and an overflow 14 associated therewith), and a generally upwardly and longitudinally outwardly inclined end wall 15 in opposition to the vertical end wall 12. In conventional manner the outlet 13 of the tub A is provided with a valve-equipped water spigot 16.

Suitably secured to the opposed side walls 11 and the inclined end wall 15 of the tub A in closely spaced relation to their respective upper edges 11', 15' is an elongated strip 17 having male snap elements 18 fast thereon and projecting inwardly therefrom.

My novel liner, identified in its entirety by 19, comprises a pair of opposed end wall liner sections 20, 21, respectively, the former of which is of a contour corresponding approximately to the vertically disposed end wall 12 of the tub A, and the latter of which overlies and has a contour corresponding approximately to the inclined end wall 15, and the adjacent portions of the side walls 11. End wall section 21 is formed from any suitable flexible sheet material such as rubberized fabric, whereas end section 20 is formed from any suitable more rigid material, and are provided adjacent their upper edges 20', 21', respectively, with conventional female snap fastener elements 22, which are adapted to cooperate with the male elements 18 carried by the strip 17 to detachably secure the end wall sections 20, 21 in operative position.

It will be noted that each of the end wall sections 20, 21 is provided with a generally U-shaped flange portion 20a, 21a, respectively, which have opposed parallel side edges 20b, 21b, respectively.

3,264,657 Patented August 9, 1966' Adapted to be interposed between the opposite end sections 20, 21 are a plurality of strip-like intermediate liner sections 23, which are of a uniform, relatively narrow dimension measured longitudinally of the tub A, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent, and which are likewise formed from flexible sheet material. Adjacent their opposite ends 23a, the intermediate liner sections 23 are likewise provided with female snap fastener elements 22.

With respect to the end wall liner section 20, it is important to note that the female snap fastener elements 22 are located only upon the U-shaped flange portion 20a. Consqeuently, when it is desired to extend or retract the effective length of the liner 19 (to accommodate a tub of a given size, or alternatively, to adjust the length to compensate for the height of a given person), one or more of the intermediate liner sections 23 may be removed or added. In any case, the end wall section 20 is thereby placed and snap-fastened in operative position with its side edge 20b in engagement with the longitudinal edge 23c of the adjacent intermediate liner section 23.

To support the otherwise unsupported vertically disposed portion of end wall section 20, it will be noted that a horizontally disposed extensible and retractable rod 24, suitably secured thereto, is provided. Preferably and as shown, the rod 24 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced rod sections 25, the opposed ends 25a of which are slidably received within a sleeve 26 and are yieldingly biased apart, whereby to cause their free ends 25b to be received in opposed recesses 27 in the side walls 11 of the tub A, by means of a coil compression spring 28. Obviously, the longitudinal spacing between the opposed recesses 27 corresponds to the dimensions of the intermediate liner sections 23, measured longitudinally of the tub A, so as to assure a complete and unbroken liner 19, irrespective of the number of intermediate liner sections 23 utilized.

It will be noted that each of the liner sections 20, 2 1, 23 has detachably secured to their exposed faces a plurality of spaced brush or scrubiber elements 29 which cooperate to define a substantially unbroken scrubber surface when all said liner sections are in their operative abutting positions. As shown, each of the brush or scrubber elements 29 is identical in nature, and preferably are formed from compressible sponge rubber or the like. To detachably secure same in their operative positions, a screw-threaded female member 30, having an enlarged head 31 in engagement with the outer surface 32 of the liner sections, projects through its respective liner section 20, 21, 2-3, and is received in an aperture 33 formed centrally in its respective brush or scrubber element 29. A screwthreaded bolt 34 is threadably received within the female member 30 and has an enlarged head 35 which becomes imbedded in the brush or scrubber element 2 9 when the bolt 34 is fully received in its respective female member 30. This arrangement protects the user from any accidental injury due to engagement with the head portion 35 of the bolt 34 and securely but detachably anchors the scrubber elements 29 to their respective sections 20, 211, 23.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to he completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have disclosed a preferred embodiment thereof, same may well be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. A liner for a bath tub having a bottom wall, vertically disposed side walls and opposed end walls, one of said end walls being generally vertically disposed and the other inclining upwardly and outwardly, said linear comprising q 0 (a) opposed end sections conforming generally to the contours of said opposed tu-b end walls,

(b) each of said end Wall. liner sections having generally U-shaped flange portions which terminate in opposed parallel side edges,

(c) a plurality of relatively narrow U-shaped strip-like intermediate liner sections,

(d) means for detachably securing said" intermediate liner sections in side-by-side relationship between said end wall sections,

(e) and means for imparting longitudinal adjustments to one of said end wall sections toward and away from the other of said end wall sections to the extent equal to the dimensions of said intermediate sections measured longitudinally of said tub,whereby to vary the eifective length of said liner.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which (a) saidend liner section adjacent said vertically disposed .tub end wall is the adjustable one of said end wall sections,

('b) and in which said means for imparting longitudinal adjustments thereto comprises a longitudinally extensible and retractable supporting rod carried thereby: and extending between the'side walls ofsaidvtub,

(c) opposite ends of said supporting rod being selectively received under yielding bias in longitudinally spaced opposed recesses in the side walls of said m 7 (d) said recesses being spaced apart a distance equal to the dimensions of said intermediate liner sections measured longitudinally of said tube.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 .in which (a) said other of said end wall liner sections and said intermediate liner sections; are provided with spaced.

(a): all of said liner sections arexprovided with spaced.

compressible brush elements,

( b) andin further combination with means for detachably securing reach of said brush elements to their respective liner sections,

element and imbedded therein;

References Cite-d by theExaminer 3 UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,196 2/1881 Martinez et al. 41'Z3 351,103 10/18861 'Erench' 4-1Z3 1,510,647 10/1924 Bomam: 2,726,404 12/ 195 5" Hansen 4--681 LAVERNE :D. GEIGER; Primary Exa m inelz H. GROSS,- Examiner.

(c) said last mentioned meanscomprising cooperat- 7 ing malesand female screw elements, one carried by its respective liner section and the; otherMextendin-g centrallythrough the respective compressible brush 

1. A LINER FOR A BATH TUB HAVING A BOTTOM WALL, VERTICALLY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND OPPOSED END WALLS, ONE OF SAID END WALLS BEING GENERALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED AND THE OTHER INCLINING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY, SAID LINEAR COMPRISING (A) OPPOSED END SECTIONS CONFORMING GENERALLY TO BE COUNTOURS OF SAID OPPOSED TUB END WALLS, (B) EACH OF SAID END WALL LINER SECTIONS HAVING GENERALLY U-SHAPED FLANGE PORTIONS WHICH TERMINATE IN OPPOSED PARALLEL SIDE EDGES, (C) A PLURALITY OF RELTAIVELY NARROW U-SHAPED STRIP-LIKE INTERMEDIATE LINER SECTIONS, (D) MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID INTERMEDIATE LINER SECTIONS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID END WALL SECTIONS, (E) AND MEANS FOR IMPARTING LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENTS TO ONE OF SAID END WALL SECTIONS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER OF SAID END WALL SECTION TO BE EXTENT EQUAL TO THE DIMENSIONS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS MEASURED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TUB, WHEREBY TO VARY THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF SAID LINER. 